Coronado Residential Solar Power

Investigations into solar energy began in earnest in the mid to late nineteenth century because of a fear that coal would eventually run out. As new supplies of coal were discovered and then oil, interest in solar energy waned until the oil and energy crises of the 1970’s. Plentiful coal and oil made energy production inexpensive until that point in time. Today with oil around $100 a barrel and coal use increasingly frowned upon, solar energy is once again on everyone’s radar and Verengo Solar is there to help the residential customer become energy independent.

Although plentiful and inexpensive for many years, coal and oil did have their disadvantages, pollution being the primary one. Coal for example is considered the dirtiest fuel, yet a majority of electric generating plants use coal to create the steam to power their turbines. Coal mining also creates environmental problems including polluted water runoff, barren landscapes from strip mining, and shifting and settling of surface land that sits above long wall mines. One mine in Centralia, Pennsylvania has been burning since 1962, spewing smoke and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.

Oil drilling also has its environmental problems, most recently the BP deep water platform that exploded and burned in 2010, spewing nearly five million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and causing damage to the marine life, waters, and surrounding shorelines and towns. Oil pipelines have been known to corrode and leak thereby contaminating surrounding areas and working its way into groundwater supplies. Remediation is possible but at great monetary expense. Aside from not further damaging the environment and the fiscal expense involved with oil, there are still other advantages to using solar energy. Lessening our dependence on foreign oil, while keeping jobs here at home is yet another one.

Compared to coal and oil, solar energy is clean and environmentally friendly. The biggest obstacle to widespread adoption of solar power generation has always been cost but now with oil prices hovering around $100 a barrel and coal prices also rising, more people are looking at the solar option whose cost has come down steadily over the last several years. As more people go solar and the industry enjoys increasing economies of scale, its cost will continue to decline. Now is a great time to contact your local Verengo Solar dealer and learn how solar can help make your home energy independent and save you money.